


The Leaves Fall in Spring

by myosotisis



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: FireRed & LeafGreen | Pokemon FireRed & LeafGreen Versions
Genre: Coming of Age, F/F, Nuzlocke Challenge, Pokemon Death, Post-war worldbuilding
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-08-31
Updated: 2021-02-18
Packaged: 2021-03-06 19:08:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,947
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26203960
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/myosotisis/pseuds/myosotisis
Summary: When she’s seventeen years old, Michi realizes just how unfair the world is.Especially when you have predetermined circumstances.It’s 1997 and Hashimoto Michiko works at the Celadon Gym part-time since it’s the only appealing option she has. She ignores her brother’s letters, ignores her growing restlessness, and accepts that the world will always have some disdain for Kanto. She’s just waiting for some sort of sign that it’s going to be okay. Preferably before another war breaks out.
Relationships: Erika (Pokemon)/Original Character(s)
Comments: 12
Kudos: 29





	1. January 1997

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nuzlocke Rules:  
> 1) Catch one Pokemon per route and area.  
> 2) Nickname all Pokemon caught.  
> 3) If a Pokemon faints, it is considered dead and unusable.  
> 4) All Pokemon must be caught in the same type of Pokeball. If it is not caught in the same design, it is unusable. The Safari Zone is the only exception to this rule.  
> 5) You can only use your starter Pokemon for the first four gyms.  
> 6) You cannot have a full party of six until the Elite Four.  
> 7) Trade Pokemon are allowed.

Michi was sixteen when she got a job at the Celadon City Gym.

Back in August, Michi found a flyer crumpled up in her jacket and ruined from the laundry machine. With bold, red typography and the golden seal of the Johtonian-Indigo League, it looked more like a festival poster than a job posting. She remembers sealing her resume and letter of intent into an envelope, writing the Celadon City Gym’s address, and forgetting about it. She got a response the first week of September, with a train ticket included, that asked for her to come in that same Friday.

She wasn’t qualified - still isn’t - even after all the battles with her Venusaur Petunia, and all the informative brochures Erika continues to give her. It’s been six months and the whispers from the other girls, behind their kimono sleeves and manicured nails, don’t get any quieter. Michi has to admit that some of their gossips are warranted. She never even finished her last year of junior high, and Pallet Town is hardly ever on regional maps. The only real reason people go to Pallet Town is to visit Professor Oak, and she knows that the fact that he’s her foster grandfather elevated her hiring status.

She only has two friends out of the entire staff, which she mentally counts is probably over fifty women, but that’s really all you ever need. The animosity during work from the others doesn’t bother Michi much, though. It’s petty, catty, and she expects it when the entire staff is composed of women in their twenties to early thirties. Whispers are muted only so much by battles or the indoor river. There really is nothing else to talk about.

The war’s been over for twenty years, and Rocket Terrorism is only ever interesting when it actually happens. Sure, the theories are fun to piece together; finding out where they’ll strike next, why they needed to mine Mt. Moon a few months ago, and the fact that teenagers are doing a better job at exposing this mess than grown adults. But it’s only ever fake news or rumors that magazines publish in hopes that the economy won’t cause them to fizzle out soon. The League is great at silencing gossip when it really matters - Michi herself knows from experience.

In the back corner of the greenhouse viewing area, past the specially bred bonsai, she tends to a few venus fly-traps that no one else particularly likes feeding dead bugs to. She’s never been squeamish about these sorts of things, so she picks up a fly (despite it still being alive) with her fingers and drops it in. In a few short seconds, the mouth closes, and the fly disappears forever.

This is the only real highlight of her week.

Tomoko, a girl ten years her senior, weeds some of the surrounding flowers. They’re both part-timers, but Tomoko’s job is more of an internship in the greenhouse portion of the gym than anything permanent. She lives right down the hall, two doors down, and is always the one to go-to for late-night sweets. She is also one of the only other Kantonian girls on staff. She plucks the grass methodically while making conversation. “You know, Michiko, I think it would do you some good to come with me to the gaming corner tonight. You don’t ever come out with the rest of us. It’s really fun, I promise! Barring the cold walk to it.”

Michi rolls a fly between her fingers, careful not to squish it. She finally gives it to the plant she was taunting, watching absently as the mouth closes. “Aren’t adults supposed to warn me against gambling rather than _encourage_ it?” She gives her coworker an exasperated look, “you’re a terrible influence on me.”

“C’mon, you could learn to lighten up a bit,” Tomoko huffs, childish but obviously joking. “You’re _too_ responsible for your age. I mean, really, when I was sixteen, I would hang around the pier all day, waiting for some ex-navy officer I could convince to buy me ice cream.”

“Must’ve been nice in Vermillion then,” Michi responds, unamused. “I’m not really interested in that sort of thing.”

Dissatisfied, Tomoko throws some potting soil in her direction, causing the other girl to shriek. “ _To-mo-ko_ ,” Michi’s voice is low and grave, “that isn’t funny. I’m not going to get a conduct slip again because a dirt stain wouldn’t come out.”

“ _Mi-chi-ko_ ,” Tomoko herself sounds sweet and innocent, “I’ll clean it for you if you go to the game corner with us.”

“Doubtful. Extremely so! You always make _me_ do the laundry.”

“I’m serious - _this_ time! I promise.”

Michi groans, feeds the last of the plants she’s supposed to for the day, and stands up. She’s fighting a losing battle. As she puts a strand of hair behind her ear, she concedes, “I can try, but Eri already asked me to spend tonight with her.”

Tomoko smirks, diligently trying to complete her own tasks as Michi cleans up her spot. “Ah… How cute…”

“It isn’t like that,” Michi says defensively.

“You two have been awfully close lately…”

“We’re the only two people here that are around the same age.” After another quiet pause, she adds, “It’s normal.”

“Suuure, Michi. Everyone here believes that you’re _just_ friends.”

“You’re horrible. Absolutely horrible.” Michi sounds irritated, which causes Tomoko to shake her head in amusement. She brushes the dirt off of her kimono and continues, “Anyways... If I don’t end up going - try to win me something.”

“Oho? What would you like?”

“A Porygon.”

“Nice try! But, no.”

Michi rolls her eyes and slaps Tomoko’s shoulder a little _too_ hard without meaning to, but doesn’t apologize after the woman yelps. Before leaving, she asks, “Ugh, what good are you?”

Tomoko sarcastically replies, “I'm only here to annoy you, I guess.”

“What a wonderful job you’re doing! I’ll tell Eri to give you a raise.” Michi waves goodbye and her sandals clack all along the walk to the breakroom, over the bridges with Magikarp and the decorative concrete paths. The greenhouse truly is beautiful - she’s thankful it survived as well as it did. From what she’s been told, it’s a miracle that Celadon didn’t burn as intensely as some of the other cities. Pallet Town, from what she remembers, wasn’t fully repaired until she was seven years old.

When she opens the door to the breakroom, after putting away her work supplies, Erika sits waiting on a bench. She smiles, eyes lighting up a little bit when Michi walks in. Her hands are folded in her lap, and she’s still wearing her winter League uniform. “All finished for the day?”

“Both the Paras and the venus traps are fed.” Michi starts to change, keeping her brown hair in a long ponytail but opting for jeans and an orange sweater. Erika listens politely and faces the opposite wall. “I also repotted the petunias and a few of the other spring flowers so they’ll bloom come Spring. How did the battle go?”

“Didn’t get the badge,” Erika replies, a little sad. “She had so much potential, too. I think she just didn’t prepare well enough for spore tactics, even though that’s exactly what my challenge is about.” She hesitantly pauses before continuing, “Her Vulpix didn’t make it.”

Michi bites her lip and tries to think of what to say, “Deaths aren’t your fault.”

Erika lets out a forced laugh, “if only the trainers saw it that way.”

After a tense few moments, Erika laments, “God, imagine if I handed out free berries or allowed trainers access to the orchids. The League officials probably wouldn’t let me be that kind. Koga already says I’m too easy.”

Michi snorts and closes her locker. She buttons up her dark green coat as she walks back to her friend. “He’s a huuuge hypocrite, first of all-”

“Watch it. I’m friends with his daughter-”

“Also, you know, he’s from _Johto_ -”

Erika chuckles, “And what makes him so different from me? All of the gym leaders are from Johto.” She pauses, “Well, not Giovanni or Surge. But they’re practically more Johtonian than anywhere else...”

Michi taps Erika on the shoulder to let her know she’s finished and ties the laces of her white sneakers. “You’re incredibly better than the whole league - Johtonian or not. Want my reasonings?” Without an indication of yes or no, she starts, “first off, you’re way cuter. Second, you did offer to buy dinner tonight...”

Erika clicks her tongue and mutters that _yeah, she did promise_ , as she gets up and straightens her kimono. As they make their way out of the breakroom and into the dormitory part of the grounds, she asks, “I’ll buy only if you’re alright with canceling our plans for Friday. Sabrina and Misty want to meet up and discuss something, so I’ll be in Saffron for the weekend.”

Michi claps her hands together, her voice loud as it echoes in the hallway, “Ah… The Johto trio is at it again! I wonder what hijinks they’ll do this time.” A few of the trainer interns watching the TV in the common room roll their eyes at the noise. Michi pretends not to notice.

Erika punches the other girl’s arm lightly, “You’re just jealous you aren’t in the club.”

“Absolutely not. I’m proud to be Kantonian. You guys are just such a weird mixture. A person who psychoanalyzes me and another who shames me for not knowing how to swim? Not a huge fan, y’know.”

“They really are not _that_ bad. And Misty only did that _once_.”

“Sure, sure. The worst of the trio is the girl who falls asleep during our movie nights and makes me rewind them all the way back to the beginning.”

Erika huffs and marches forward to the end of the hall. She opens the door to her own little estate, and Michi walks through. Every gym leader lives on-site, with accommodations as big as the battle room. Erika walks the path through her meticulously manicured front lawn to her traditional wooden porch and house, takes her shoes off at the door, and heads to her bedroom. “Give me a minute to change while you decide where we go.” Michi waves her off, saying something about how they should get all-you-can-eat sushi, and settles onto one of the cushions near the low table.

It’s a nice little house, but Michi has never left the front room. Through all of the times she’s spent waiting - with Erika on the phone, getting changed, or just busy with other things, Michi can picture the front room in her mind with her eyes closed. She’s memorized the order of Erika’s various photos and frames - a portrait of her in the usual kimono girl uniform in Johto, a family photo, and two individual ones of her younger sister and brother. Michi knows that she has several awards for battling, flower arrangements, and even a first place piano trophy on display near the bookshelf by the kitchen. She also knows Erika hides the good saké behind them.

She looks at the embroidery kit left haphazardly on the low table, the tatami mats that remind her of the older houses back at home, and flips idly through the old TV Erika keeps for appearances only. Michi is the only one who cares when the antennas aren’t right - that it makes it blurry during pivotal moments in live gym battles but not during Erika’s pre-recorded rom-com animes. Michi is also the only one who tries to fix them and gets upset that they fix themselves when the match is over.

When Erika comes out, dressed in a warm wool sweater and a long beige skirt, her short black hair pushed back with a red headband, Michi barely looks up from the news. It’s never really that interesting - opinions on border control policies, post-war recovery stories, and, of course, the weather. The forecast for the January winter festival over in Fuschia’s Safari Zone looks like it’ll be clear for once. After a few attempts to get the other girl’s attention, Erika goes to the TV and presses the power button. “I’m ready.”

“Yes, Miss Princess,” Michi pushes herself up and grabs their scarves from the hanging coat rack. She always leaves her scarf here, which is half the convenience of not having to go back to her dorm, and half an excuse to stop by and grab it when she does need it. The spare key is always hidden underneath a painted rock by the front door.

“Ugh - stop it. I won’t speak to you for a week if you keep it up.”

“Aw, c’mon,” Michi gives the girl a puppy-eyed stare. “It’s a fitting nickname. For a multitude of reasons.”

Erika hums as she slips on her shoes. “Yeah, okay. Don’t say it in front of other people - I don‘t want it catching on. Things _always_ do in Kanto.”

Michi wrinkles her nose at the implication. “A nickname like that is harmless.”

“Right, but only for so long. There’s less appreciation for,” Erika breathes in and avoids her friend’s gaze, “ _tradition_ , I guess, here.”

“And surely you know there’s a reason-”

“No,” Erika puts a finger to Michi’s lips. Her hand is on the door, and she blocks the exit. “No fighting or arguing tonight. We should have a _nice_ dinner without any politics, or I won’t be buying you ice cream afterward.”

Michi, begrudgingly, agrees to ignore the uncomfortable feeling of a conversation left unfinished.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A few clarifications! (Worldbuilding thingsss...)
> 
> 1) The majority of Gym Leaders are actually not from Kanto! The Indigo League is now the Johtonian-Indigo League because of Johto's control over Kanto following the end of the war. This is a huge point of conflict within Kanto after twenty years. A lot of the gym trainers also come from Johto, but a few (Michi and Tomoko) are Kantonian.  
> 2) Team Rocket is a terrorist organization that wants Kanto to have freedom from Johto. They've gained quite a lot of support throughout the region despite their radical actions.  
> 3) Michi is currently 16 (her birthday is 05/03/1980) and Erika is 18 (09/22/1978). Satoshi is 19 (12/14/1977) and Gary is also 19 (08/02/1977).
> 
> Actual Nuz notes:  
> 1) The dead Vulpix was actually a Pokemon I lost in the Game Corner Rocket Base. I miss you, Chiyo :(  
> 2) And the Meowth plush is also another Pokemon I lost - also in the Game Corner! Mayumi was mainly used for money but I grew really attached to her... Both of these Pokemon weren't on my team for long (really just after Erika's gym). They might show up again, who knows. 
> 
> This is my first attempt at a story! Any and all feedback is appreciated! :) Thank you so much!


	2. February 1997

Celadon City’s department store is Michi’s _least_ favorite part of the city.

  
She checks her watch for the fifth time in the last thirty minutes while she waits for Erika to finish her shopping on the fourth floor. She had _said_ it’d only be another few minutes - that afterward they’d get an early dinner before heading back to the gym - but Michi is starting to think she was lied to. After sending another glare at the pair of elevators, and trying to will them open with Erika inside by sheer force alone, she groans and walks towards the stairs herself to fetch her boss. 

  
She marches up the stairs with two small red bags in her hands, weaving between crowds going in opposite directions. A mixture of apologies fumble out of her mouth as she ascends, keeping her head low and eyes focused on the arrows marked on the floor. When she reaches the fourth floor, Michi makes a beeline for the pop-up poffin counter where she last left her boss an hour ago. 

  
Without noticing, she slams into the back of someone looking at the display of Valentine's Day stationery, causing a few cards to fumble to the ground alongside a plethora of looseleaf glitter. 

  
“Oh, I’m so sorry-'' she looks up, the baseball cap no longer tunneling her vision, and steps back. Michi stands there for a moment, mouth agape, and then quickly bows, “Oh, god, Falkner. I’m so _sorry_ \- I-”

  
“Hey, no problem,” he laughs, picking up a few of the envelopes that fell, and beams at her. He’s wearing a black coat, a change from his usual blues she’s seen him in, but Michi still notices the _Johtonian League Official badge_ pinned neatly on his collar. He holds out his hand to her after brushing a blue bang away from his eyes. “Nice to see you again, Michiko.” 

  
Hesitantly, Michi shakes it. She remembers seeing him back in September for Erika’s birthday, an affair she was hastily invited to under the pretense of a “small get-together” and a “casual thing.” She spent almost the entire night trying to put names to faces, sitting underdressed in a corner of the karaoke restaurant she could never afford a meal from. Only four people bothered to hold a conversation with her past pleasantries and introductions. Falkner was not one of them.

  
“I didn’t know you were in Kanto.”

  
“Oh, yeah,” he withdraws his hand, glancing off to the display again. “I thought I’d visit again before the battle season heats up in Johto.” He pauses and watches as Michi nods, then adds, “I think they coincide with each other, right? Indigo and Johto?” 

  
“They do,” she confirms, hands in her pockets but posture rigid. “Although Johto gets most of the coverage.”

  
Falkner smiles wryly. “There have been some impressive battles over here - better than some of the beginners I get when I’m on shift.” When Michi doesn’t seem to smile or even react, he turns his attention back to the card display and blows out a puff of air. “Anyways, Janine wanted me to visit. She seems pretty lonely here, not having a gym of her own...” When he still doesn’t get a response, he picks up a random card, glittery red with a Pikachu background, and holds it up to her. “Do you think this is cute?”

  
Michi squints at it, “It’s certainly… colorful. Not my taste. Probably not Janine’s either.”

  
Falkner winces and puts the card back in a random slot. Immediately, Michi reaches for it to put it back in its correct pile. He scrunches up his nose at her, and in a defensive tone adds, “Not for _her,_ by the way. But, yeah. Nothing is really… subtle? In this store.”

  
She shrugs her shoulders, looking around again for Erika and relaxing a bit. The floor is covered with various displays for the upcoming holiday in a week. The various shades of pink and red cause Michi’s vision to blur if she doesn’t focus. “There’s a cuter stationery store near the Unovan district. Eri likes to go there.”

  
He cocks a smile, “Eri?”

  
“Erika.”

  
“Of course - just checking. We were chatting while standing in the queue for stones.” Falkner jerks his head to the left. Michi’s eyes follow the movement and immediately see Erika, still wearing her red winter coat and golden hoops. Janine is right next to her, waving her hands around for emphasis in their conversation, and almost hitting a poor passerby trying to get through. “She’s talking to Janine right now, probably finishing up their selections.”

  
She barely waits for him to finish before she’s leaving. Marching up and weaving through a few groups of shoppers on the floor, she slides up behind Erika, who’s engrossed in conversation just like he said. Michi puts a finger to her mouth when Janine makes eye contact, and then puts her bags down right next to her on the glass display counter. In a swift motion, she covers Erika’s eyes with her now free hands, “Guess who?”

  
Erika jumps, taken by surprise, but quickly puts her hands on top of Michi’s. “Gee - is this Falkner? Sounds just like him.”

  
“What?” Michi protests, “How dare you compare me to him.” 

  
Janine laughs while Falkner rolls his eyes, “Hey - I’m _right_ here.” 

  
“Oh? This _must_ be Misty then, right?”

  
Michi pouts, letting out a whine. She retreats her hands and moves to be in front of Erika, before slapping her shoulder lightly. “You’re no fun. You suck at this game.”

  
“You’re predictable - you do this twice a week.”

  
“Still, it doesn’t hurt to play along…” Michi moves closer and leans her head on Erika’s shoulder before letting out a long sigh. “Just how much longer are we going to be here?”

  
“You’re so impatient.”

  
“We’ve been here for _at least_ three hours!”

  
Erika chuckles softly, leaning her head on top of Michi’s for a moment. Falkner moves to the other side of Janine and whispers something to the girl. They glance at the other two, look back at each other, and start a hushed conversation Michi can’t possibly hope to hear in the crowded mall. Ignoring them, Erika answers, “This is the last thing on my list. I need a few stones and they’re wrapping up the selections now.” 

  
“Why do you even _need_ stones? Doesn’t the League supply you with leaf stones for employees?” She peers into the glass display at the basic evolutionary stones, her head still on the other’s shoulder. She watches the little waves moving from within the water stone, back and forth, as though it was a miniature beach. The fire and electric stones flicker with their own radiating light. Michi imagines they must be warm to the touch, but she’s never had the opportunity to find out.

  
Erika, after debating for a few seconds, takes a breath and then starts, “Alright, so, you aren’t supposed to know this-”

  
Michi jumps away, no longer mesmerized by the stones. She claps her hands together softly, “Oooh, a secret!”

  
“Shh!” Erika shushes the other girl, putting her finger on the other girl’s lips. They both bite back a smile and meet each other’s eyes. Erika lets her fingers linger for a few seconds before she withdraws her hand. “You know how my mother still has connections to the theater in Ecruteak? Well, she usually helps with training the girls who pass the first two trials of becoming kimono girls…”

  
Michi furrows her eyebrows, “Yeah this isn’t a secret, Eri. You told me this before when I asked why you weren’t one-” 

  
“I’m not there yet!” Erika interrupts, rolling her eyes. “My mother usually helps with the breeding process, right? So, she told me that she has a few Eevees left over from the winter litter-”

  
“Oh my god,” Michi’s jaw drops. “I want one. _Please_. I have _always_ wanted an Eevee, Eri! This has been my dream since I was, like, nine years old.”  


Erika’s fully smiling now, “I thought your dream was to get an autograph from Lance.”

  
“Listen, that dream is fleeting,” Michi waves her hands to dismiss the other girl’s statement. “I’m never going to meet him. _This_ one is the real deal.” 

  
“Are Eevees that rare in Kanto? I know they’re symbolic in Johto, but… I thought they were on the bend again?” 

  
“Oh,” Michi hums, thinking, “I think they were, yeah, but we haven’t had any reports of spotted packs in a few years. Might be extinct.” 

  
Erika blinks at her, confused. After a few moments, Michi watches the realization hit her, and her eyebrows furrow. “Right. The Route 17 protests.” She pulls away from the other girl, folding her hands and resting them on top of the glass display. Her eyes narrow. “That was, what, seven years ago? I thought Johtonian officials relocated the packs to the Safari Zone so that the road wouldn’t hurt them.”

  
In turn, Michi purses her lips. “I don’t know much after the initial talks, since Mr. Oak was only called in before construction started. I don’t remember him even saying a pack had survived. He had an Umbreon when I was younger but that was a _Johtonian_ Eevee, so… I don’t think the population bounced back like it was supposed to after the war.”

  
Erika’s face remains unreadable. It reminds Michi of how her boss is during battle - methodical, careful, and unpredictable. She knows, staring at how Erika’s hands are clenched tightly together, that there’s anger underneath. Softly, Erika mutters, “That’s unfortunate.”

  
Michi glances over to the clerks behind the display, and after confirming that no one seems to be looking at them, she turns back to her partner and tries to shrug it off. “It’s okay - you didn’t know. I could be remembering wrong.” 

  
Silence passes between them for a moment, and Michi cracks her knuckles out of habit. Leaning her back against the display and staring into the crowd again, Michi clears her throat before she tries to change the topic, “Anyways, when do you get the litter? Don’t they have to be approved at the border?”

  
Erika keeps her gaze steady and unfocused, but after a few seconds relaxes, stretches her hands, and pushes some hair behind her ears. “I get to surpass that, thankfully, so we should be expecting them at the end of the month if everything goes smoothly.”

  
“So when you get them - how would you prefer I beg for you to give me one? Offer my kidney? Or my firstborn?” Michi pauses, contemplating what else to say and convince the other girl, “Actually, no, I will give you my actual _life_ for one. I don’t think I’ll have kids, anyways.”

  
Erika tries to fight the smile on her face, but a few laughs escape her lips. Her strong facade crumbles and she’s back to being just Erika - not gym leader Erika or Sonoda Erika from Johto - _just_ Erika. Michi can’t help but smile at the sound. 

  
“Why are you so dramatic? I can’t make any promises, you _know_ that-”

  
Michi whines softly, pouting again as she crosses her arms. She casts a sideways glance at Erika through her bangs. “But I’m your favorite - don’t deny it or try to hide your smile behind your hands!” Erika laughs again, louder this time, as Michi moves close and snatches the girl’s hands to hold them. “ _C’mon!_ I’m a battler for the gym too, so you could use that excuse… I could try and evolve it into a Leafeon.” 

  
“I know you would rather die than evolve it into a Leafeon - you hate grass types.”

  
“I do not _hate_ them,” she huffs. “I just think Petunia is the only good one.”

  
“How you ever got the job at the grass type Gym will forever humor me,” Erika remarks.

  
The clerk behind the display case finally comes back to them, handing her a paper bag with various beige boxes inside. Each one is labeled with a colored sticker and wrapped with Valentine’s Day-themed ribbon. Michi watches a little farther down as Janine gets her beige box at the same time, wrapped with an iridescent sticker on top and matching ribbon. Janine promptly puts it into a bag Falkner was holding for her despite his protests.

  
As Erika finishes swiping her card, she looks Michi in the eye, “You were probably just hired because you’re cute.”

  
“You’re the one who hired me.”

  
“Hm? I don’t seem to remember that.”

  
Falkner and Janine lead the way towards the elevator, and Erika follows suit. She forces her hefty bags onto Falkner, which elicits a complaint from him as he adjusts the weight. Janine snickers from underneath her thick fuschia scarf, “You’re a baby.”

  
“You could carry your own bags, Janine.”

  
She rolls her eyes at him before choosing to change the subject. Janine points at Erika’s bag and asks her point-blank, “What stone are you going to use?”

  
“Hm,” Erika hums out, looking up at the screens where the numbers change with each floor. When the doors open again and lead into the ground floor’s lobby, Erika steps out first. “I think I’d like to have something different. I don’t quite plan on using mine in battle.”

  
“Vaporeon is the best one,” Michi responds, edging into the conversation. When Erika makes a disgusted face, she adds with a shrug, “I’m never wrong.”

  
“Ugh, you sound like Misty.”

  
“Water types aren’t _that_ bad.”

  
“Then transfer to Cerulean.”

  
“But you’d miss me! Even if you won’t admit it.” Michi links her arm with Erika’s and bats her eyes, “I’m your star battler.”

  
“You’re also the one who battles the least-”

Janine clears her throat, glancing at the both of them before moving forward to open the double doors. They all walk out on the sidewalk, avoiding a few clumps of icy snow that hasn’t quite melted fully yet. The second Michi lets go of Erika to readjust her hold on her two bags, Janine takes the opportunity to steal Erika’s attention and link their arms together.

Janine pokes at Erika’s cheek with her gloved hand, teasing her. “It’d be nice for you to branch out and train something new. You might even like a Glaceon! It’s the season for them, after all, and father says they’re a favorite in Sinnoh.”

“A little late for one to evolve naturally,” Falkner says, which causes Janine to look over her shoulder and give him a look. He pushes on, “I know you said you don’t want to get a Leafeon, but you have your image to think about-” 

  
Erika interrupts him, “You’re just saying that because grass is weak to flying.”

  
Falkner closes his eyes and shakes his head. “That’s a coincidence. A convenient one, sure, but...”

  
The three of them bicker about the stones and Eevees while walking to the corner store. Michi hangs back and gives nods or shakes when appropriate, ignoring the looks Falkner shoots her every so often to try and get her to join in further. Janine and Erika go towards the drinks in the back refrigerator, while the other two grab a few sandwiches and other snacks. 

  
Falkner gives a single glance to the other girls, grabbing the fish-flavored crackers an aisle over and asking, “If you’re ever in Johto, I’d really like to get to know you better.”

  
Michi snorts before realizing who she's talking to. She clears her throat, embarrassed. “Sorry. I just don’t see myself visiting any time soon.”

  
“Don’t see yourself visiting or just don’t _want_ to?”

  
She frowns, “I don’t like what you’re trying to assume.”

  
He shrugs in response, and Michi feels on edge. She never really likes talking to Erika’s friends - Misty is the only one she can stomach for more than a few hours, and Sabrina isn’t bad as long as they aren’t alone together for too long - but she still isn’t sure how she’s supposed to talk to anyone else. She isn’t sure Erika would’ve liked her old school friends much, either, but at least she wouldn’t feel threatened or like she’s walking on glass. 

  
When they pull up to the counter before Janine and Erika, he grabs a napkin and pulls out a pen from his pocket. Michi watches as he hastily writes down his phone number and address in barely legible handwriting. “In case you change your mind,” he says, holding it out to her as though it were a business card, “or want to send me hate mail.”

  
She takes the paper with one hand and crumples it before tucking it away in her pocket. Falkner doesn’t seem to take any offense, but soon after Janine and Erika are making their way towards the two of them and together they check out, say their goodbyes (only to Erika, really), and the surprise encounter is over.

  
Michi and Erika walk back to the Gym, through the private estate’s locked fence, and into Erika’s front room. She turns on the room heater the second their shoes are off, then shuffles over to the kitchen to put some water in the kettle to boil while Michi tucks herself under the kotatsu, flicking the TV on. When Erika comes back with two cups of jasmine tea, Michi immediately scoots over to sit next to her, head resting on the other’s shoulder.

  
“I’m never going shopping with you again.”

  
“Don’t be annoying,” Erika scolds, lightly tapping the other’s shoulder. “I’ll count today as a working day so you get paid.”

  
They sit that way for a while, quiet as they watch a comedy show neither of them is paying much attention to. Erika opens her mouth to say something, her fingers drumming on Michi’s side, before the phone in the kitchen rings and ruins the moment. Michi begrudgingly moves so her friend can get up, grabbing the remote to change the channel to something else while the other is distracted. She hears Erika answer and then, very quickly, closes the door that connects the kitchen and the living area. Michi takes this as a sign to turn the volume up on the TV. 

  
For a moment, she watches the battling channel. It’s reruns of various highlights from before the League went into the off-season - but none of them feature Gyms higher than Koga. There’s never any good fights with Koga, she realizes with a quiet curiosity. His battles always end early without so much as a single real scratch on his team, and neither Blaine nor Giovanni fought a single challenger this first year.

  
Michi watches as Misty sweeps a trainer’s team, despite the challenger having the type advantage with their Bulbasaur. She closes her eyes when the cameras zoom in to show the Pokemon’s lifeless body in the pool, only four minutes into the official match. She opens them again a few seconds later to see Misty stare down at the challenger, impassive and blank and _professional._ The commentators leave mournful remarks towards the challenger, pointers on how to avoid going into a battle unprepared, and emphasizing that a trainer should know when to forfeit before it’s too late. 

  
But then the next highlight is one of Erika’s - recorded this past October. Michi watches, not remembering which battle this one is until she sees a familiar face. The challenger sends out his Charmeleon, causing Erika to nod as though she was expecting it, as though she knew it would come out first, and Michi feels the living room freeze over. 

Erika sends out her own Tangela, calling for a poison powder, and it lands while dodging the Charmeleon’s first smokescreen. Michi watches as the poison creates purple splotches on the Charmeleon’s red skin, searing into it and causing the Pokemon to howl with pain. They swap a few more attacks, but the Tangela doesn’t land a single hit after being blinded by a successful smokescreen. 

  
The challenger, Red - _Hashimoto Satoshi_ \- the commentator says with praise, is a young challenger _who’s steadily making waves._

He calls for his Charmeleon to use ember again. The Charmeleon breathes out a mixture of smoke and burned-up charcoal and the attack _hits_ \- a _critical,_ which causes Michi to cringe rather than cheer.

Michi watches as the Tangela burns, _badly,_ withering and turning brown from the flickers of flame that don’t go out. The shrieks it lets out are high-pitched, each more frantic than the last, which sends shivers down Michi’s spine and forces her to turn down the volume. Erika calls it back, concedes the loss of her first Pokemon with a steeled face, and sends out her Victreebel. Satoshi just stares, focused, and nods to acknowledge his opponent’s motion.

  
Another few seconds pass until the Victreebel also begins to burn, missing an acid attack and moving straight into the Charmeleon’s boosted fire attack. This one is even worse than before - as the Victreebel is engulfed in a searing heat matched with even more horrid shrieks - shrieks that _pierce_ Michi’s eardrums - and Michi thinks she can feel her own skin burning despite her not even _physically_ being there - and _then_ \- 

  
And then, Michi turns off the TV. 

  
She sits there for a minute, shocked over something. Something that she can’t quite place. She’s seen these scenes before - been in situations like this - but she’s shaking. Her reflection stares at her from the TV, eyes wide and mouth slightly open, until suddenly she can’t bear to see the same eyes she saw moments before on TV, watching destruction without a second thought of the consequences. 

  
She puts on her shoes, her scarf, and her coat, in a trance. She doesn’t realize she’s back at the dorm until her door locks and her hands are releasing her Venusaur in the small room, Petunia’s soft cry at being woken up bringing her back to her senses. Michi stares at her Pokemon, its eyes questioning as its head turns to the side, and throws herself to Petunia as she sobs. 

  
There’s a letter from Satoshi on her desk, postdated from a week ago, and Michi shoves it in her bottom drawer along with the other seven - crumbled and unopened - that rest underneath her summer clothes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you mean it's been six months since the last update? Have some cute girls to make up for it.
> 
> Random Worldbuilding/Fact tidbits that may not be important but I think about this fic 98% of the time I'm awake.
> 
> \- Erika's family and Falkner's family are very close! While Erika's mom is from Ecruteak City, the Sonoda family lives in Violet City and has deep ties to Bellsprout Tower. Erika's mother gave up being a Kimono girl to marry her husband and join the Sonoda family during the War.  
> \- Kantonian Eevees never really bounced back after the War, and conservation efforts have either been lackluster or futile. Kantonian Eevees are only able to evolve into Vaporeon, Flareon, or Jolteon without the need for a stone. These Eevees had been essential to various habitats all over Kanto before the War. The cultural significance they held has diminished alongside the native population.  
> \- Pokemon battles can be EXTREMELY brutal and are always highly publicized as this is the first year of the Indigo League being reinstated since the War. The battle season is usually April - October, but special accommodations can be made for trainers to battle outside of the season and to practice or train. If you want to challenge the actual League during the off-season, this involves (and requires) getting a Sponsorship. Erika and Brock are the only Gym Leaders in the Indigo League that allow full-year challengers.  
> \- Petunia is my baby please love her.  
> \- 👁️👁️ interesting letters you have there, Michiko... 
> 
> GENUINELY thank you to my friends for reading like 8 drafts of this chapter and my amazing beta/editor ... if you see this hiiii


End file.
